Public Transport

Moscow is a city where people are faster than cars. Constant traffic jams leave only the late nights for leisure driving. Think twice before driving out during peak hours (8 to 11 am and 5 to 8 pm). But at the same time the public transportation system provides a great opportunity to explore the city and may even be an attraction of sorts.

All Moscow public transport is accessible from 5:30 until 1:00. As a rule, bus stops are fitted with schedules for whole transport system. The waiting time is considered to be 5-20 minutes. The average fare is about 1$. You can buy bus, trolley or tram tickets at metro stations, from kiosks near the bus stops or directly in the transport. But we should mention that new Moscow city buses and trolleys may have the turnstiles systems installed, which makes it impossible to enter without a ticket. Remember, if you are in Moscow on vacation during the holidays, transport working time could have changes.

The Bus is the most popular above ground transport in Moscow. It goes into every city district, runs in the centre and in the suburbs. The Bus is also the first transport to appear in new areas. You will recognize bus stops being marked with a letter "A" on the pavement.

Normally a bus schedule is established, but due to traffic jams, the waiting time can be longer than the expected 15-20 minutes. Moscow buses can either be state or privately held. Private ones are marked by the letters "K" or "E". They don`t offer any discounts, however a fewer numbers of passengers make private buses very attractive. Usually there is a conductor on board, so you don’t need to buy a ticket in advance. If you want to take a bus into the suburbs a ticket will cost you a little more and you should check the schedule and point of departure.

The Trolley is an electricity-powered trackless bus. Trolley stops are usually the same as bus but they are also marked by the letter "T". Trolleys are used frequently by pensioners, students and others who have discount fares for public transport. It can be rather slow and crowded. But citizens still love it for being environmentally friendly and easy if you just need to go a little ways fast enough. In spite of trolleys having an official schedule the waiting times can be unpredictable.

Marshrutka is a private minibus, a fixed route taxi, which has the same routes and often the same numbers as buses and trolleys, but is faster and more comfortable, so it has already become a favorite transport for the Muscovites. It is a new but already very important kind of transport. Marshrutka stops at the bus stops if there are empty seats, but you can wave it down like a taxi and leave it by request almost anyplace you need. Choosing this kind of transport you don`t have to buy a ticket in advance, the fare is paid directly to a driver. The fare is also about 1$ and more going to the suburbs and the airports. As a rule, marshrutka doesn`t make you wait long cause it goes rather often.

The Tram is the oldest Russian form of transport, one of the symbols of Moscow and an adorable way of getting around for the Muscovites that are tired of the awful traffic jams. You can find tram stops by the "Tp" markers. The majority of the routes are daily, some of them servicing big housing estates and industrial areas are not available on weekends and holidays. Today many of Moscow's tramlines are outside the city. But there is one tram route you should definitely go on. It is the famous old "Annushka" ("A") route around the Boulevard Ring, following the Circle metro line, now also doubling as a tourist destination. Trams have a retro design, and one of them is refitted as a café.

If it`s too late to take the public transport, you are in a hurry or just want to have the most comfortable trip you can - take a taxi. There are not many of them on the streets, usually they are centered around places such as restaurants, malls, parks and so on. But taking a taxi or using picker-uppers is not very safety today. But the best way is to hire a cab in one of the numerous taxi firms such as ASAP, Wheely and others. Also you can use the application GetTaxi for all mobile devices, it is very convinient if you need taxi to come very quickly. The price for Moscow taxi cabs usually based on distance, time and area of journey.

Get your guide seen by submitting it to the Featured Guides section

Moscow

Stay In Touch

Sign up for our mailing list to get latest updates and offers for Moscow.

The My Guide Network

My Guide is focused on offering unrivalled levels of local information. This is what we pride ourselves on, and it's our promise to our users.

Each destination is run by a team on the ground who have their fingers on the pulse and write from a first-hand experience, whether they are trying out places to eat, visiting sites of interest, undertaking activities, exploring hidden 'secrets', and speaking to the locals who are 'in-the-know'.

If you are interested in becoming a local travel partner and would like to find out more then click for more info about our Website Business Opportunity.